Critical Links:
-
The Evolution of Gamified Car Culture: Clutch marks a massive shift toward hyper-realistic lifestyle car ownership in media. Developed by the minds behind the Forza Horizon franchise, the game targets enthusiasts by prioritizing the granular, everyday details of vehicle ownership—such as meticulously modeled car interiors, tire wear, and personal identity—over just raw track performance.
-
A New Era for Digital Vehicle Personalization: The game’s deep customization system goes far beyond traditional aftermarket parts and paint colors, shifting heavily toward interior and lifestyle personalization. As digital spaces dictate how younger generations interact with car culture, this level of detail highlights how future buyers view vehicles as expressions of identity rather than just utility.
-
The Intersection of Real and Digital Automotive Branding: With an immersive open-world blending sanctioned professional racing with underground car culture, games like Clutch are becoming the primary playground where Gen Z and millennial consumers build brand affinity. Dealerships and OEMs have a prime opportunity to watch these digital spaces to see which vehicle styles, custom subcultures, and interior experiences are capturing the cultural zeitgeist.
_________________________________________________________________
Maverick Games, an independent studio founded by Mike Brown, former creative director on the Forza Horizon franchise, revealed its debut title, Clutch, a cinematic open-world action-driving game that redefines why we drive. Clutch takes players through an immersive narrative blending pro circuit racing with action-packed underground race-and-chase sandbox gameplay where speed and style meet high stakes pursuits and risky escapes. Clutch will launch in Spring 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Clutch’s cinematic narrative and story driven campaign are at the core of its dynamic open-world experience. It tells the story of sibling racing prodigies competing in the R1K, a historic series that’s been the proving ground for the world’s top drivers for 100 years. Away from the pomp and pageantry of the R1K is the underground Midnight Collective made up of those who love showing off their style and the raw thrill of speed. When the hero finds himself in trouble and in need of a fixer, the underbelly of the R1K is smashed wide open.
A first look at the story, actors, world and what’s at stake will be revealed at the Summer Game Fest Showcase.
“Maverick has assembled a dream team of car lovers and driving fans with decades of experience building genre-defining open-world racing games,” said Mike Brown, Creative Director and Founder of Maverick Games. “Our mission from day-one is for Clutch to push the genre into a new era, innovate through new types of open-world sandbox gameplay and deliver a generational leap on the staples of why we love driving games.”
In Clutch, players will compete for position, reputation and rewards while navigating shifting alliances, escalating pursuits and rival crews across a living PvPvE action-driving world. Players will progress through a diverse array of hand-crafted and spontaneous missions and races that break the mold of modern driving games and challenge player creativity at every turn. Clutch’s open-world sandbox unleashes blockbuster action and unscripted chaos in every high-speed getaway.
Clutch’s proprietary physics engine and deep vehicle personalization system allow players to build cars defined as much by identity and style as raw performance. Customization goes deeper than the custom paint or aftermarket parts, it’s in the tiny details of owning a car that build on the connection between car and driver. Players can create a true one-of-one car and the ride of their dreams in Clutch, being rewarded equally for both creative flair and finishing position.
